IMS - Intra Muscular Stimulation
(Dry Needling)
Intramuscular Stimulation / Dry Needling is a therapeutic treatment procedure involving tiny acupuncture needles placed into tight muscles and trigger points. Trigger points are very irritable spots in a taut muscle band that are painful and can cause referred pain. Researchers have found that trigger points are acidic and contain many metabolites, irritating the local nerve endings and resulting in pain. If the trigger point creates sufficient pain for long enough, the nervous system can become hyper-aware of the dysfunction, which serves to increase the pain response even more.
IMS has been proven clinically effective and safe treatment of acute and chronic pain.
Benefits of IMS
The most important application of IMS is in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and neuropathic pain, predominantly in a chronic state (> 6 weeks). Patients who present with lower back pain, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, chronic whiplash, sciatica, or fibromyalgia probably stand to benefit the most from IMS.
The list of ailments that can be treated using IMS is long. Conditions that will benefit from IMS treatment include (but are not limited to):
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Golfers and Tennis Elbow
- Jaw and TMJ Pain
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Shoulder and Hip impingement syndromes
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Chronic postural pain
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Headaches
- Neck Pain
- Patello-femoral Syndrome
- Chronic Tendonitis or Bursitis
- Low Back Pain
- Repetitive Strain Injuries
- Shin Splints
- Sciatica
- Trigger Finger
- Torticollis
- Spinal Disc Problems
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Piriformis Syndrome
Frequently Asked Questions
Some FAQs on Dry Needling.
What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a therapeutic technique in which a trained physical therapist inserts small, sterile filament needles into the skin and muscle directly at a myofascial trigger point. This generates a twitch response, helping release muscle tension and pain.
Does trigger point dry needling hurt?
Typically, patients will feel some level of discomfort, but it is short-lived. If one does not feel the treatment at all, it is not yet working.
Is dry needling similar to acupuncture?
Although they use the same thin filament needles, acupuncture and dry needling are two very different treatments. In contrast to most schools of acupuncture, dry needling is strictly based on Western medicine principles and research. Acupuncture is used to treat Traditional Chinese Medical diagnoses of visceral and systemic dysfunction, while dry needling is used to assess and treat myofascial pain. Dry needling relieves pain by inactivating trigger points within muscles.
Acupuncture achieves pain relief through the release of endorphins and creating balance in the body’s energy levels. Through the release of cortisol, acupuncture can also have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
Are the needles sterile?
Yes, we only use sterile, disposable needles.